US President Donald Trump, alongside CIA Director John Ratcliffe, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks about the conflict in Iran on April 6, 2026, in Washington, DC.
Brendan Smialowski | Afp | Getty Images
The U.S. will engage in “technical talks” with Iran and remains committed to finding a solution to the conflict, despite the two countries trading airstrikes in recent days, MS Now reported Thursday, citing a U.S. official.
The official said President Donald Trump had made his position clear and characterized Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels as “acts of terrorism,” according to MS Now.
Those comments come after Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, said that the ceasefire with Iran was “over.”
The memorandum of understanding between the two countries is performance-based, and Iran’s actions constitute “failed performance at an unacceptable level,” the U.S. official told MS Now, adding that talks with Tehran will continue.
The ceasefire signed last month has come under serious strain in recent days with the U.S. and Iranian forces conducting strikes this week. “I don’t want to deal with them [Iran] anymore,” Trump said at the NATO summit.
On his way back from the summit, Trump said that Iran had called to make a deal to cease the escalating hostilities in the Middle East. “They called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly. I just don’t know if they’re worthy of making a deal. I don’t know that they’re going to honor the deal. That’s the problem,” he said.
Iranian officials have accused the U.S. of not honoring the MOU, citing violation of “Iranian adjustments” in the Strait of Hormuz, “persistent threats of further strikes” and reinstating oil sanctions.
The U.S. military conducted renewed rounds of offensive strikes against Iran in retaliation for three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz coming under attack. The U.S. Treasury Department subsequently withdrew a waiver that had allowed Iran to sell its oil.
Oil prices were marginally lower on Friday in Asia trading, with global benchmark Brent crude futures for September delivery easing to $76.3 per barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures at $71.87.
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